Anchorage in Laura Cove For the Civic Holiday – Another Hike To Unwin Lake

We found a nice anchorage in Laura Cove, so we set the anchor and tied lines to the big rock. Lisa prepared lunch to take out on a dinghy exploration of the surrounding area. We ventured out of the cove into Homfrey Channel turned the outboard off and floated around while having lunch with a spectacular mountain view surrounding us off in the distance.

Afterward, I dropped Lisa off at the boat and continued on, by dinghy, to a hiking trail located off Melanie Cove. I’d read about this trail somewhere and how it leads up to Unwin Lake, the freshwater lake we’d hiked to and swam in the day before when staying in Tenedos Bay. As I neared the shore, I looked for a well-worn path leading into the brush and I fairly quickly found a homemade sign indicating the path to Unwin Lake.

As low tide had already passed (tide swings are around 10 feet) I knew I had to be careful where I landed and parked the dinghy, there wasn’t a sandy beach to rest the dinghy on and the rocks were covered with growth that was slippery and sharp. To keep the dinghy from washing ashore and risking puncturing a hole in the Hypalon, I didn’t raise the outboard like I usually do, instead, I let the skeg act as a stern anchor while running my extra long painter line up to shore to secure.

Another hike to Unwin Lake after securing our anchorage in Laura Cove.

Then I set off on my hike through the woods up and away, above the crowds of Melanie Cove on a narrow, well-traveled path. The further I got away from the busyness of the boat-strewn coves of Prideaux Haven the quieter my surroundings became. The woods were almost magical with cedar trees canopying the hillside as I made my way up to the lake. At various points, I’d climb under or over fallen trees as I followed the path lined with monstrous 5-foot-tall ferns. At more than one point I thought I’d been gone awhile and it was enough of a hike for one day, but I continued on rationalizing that I may not have this opportunity again.

Forty minutes later, after about a mile into my hike, I reached a divide in the path. One direction indicated it led down to the lake while the other, the one I chose, led to a cliff-side view of Unwin Lake. I chose the latter and less than 10 minutes later I had reached the summit and stood 300 to 400 feet above the unspoiled beauty of Unwin Lake and a spectacular view overlooking the northern arm. I’m glad I persevered and continued to the top. What I found up there was serenity – absolute quiet, no boats, no people or seaplanes, the only noise was that of a slight breeze ruffling through the forest. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath of undisturbed nature, the aroma in the air seemed to come from the cedar trees that line all of the nearby hills and mountains. I clapped my hands and heard the clap return to me in the form of an echo off of the canyon walls. What can I say but how I am loving our cruise in Desolation Sound?